In Praise of Slowness (1) Wuyong (Useless) Chinese Fashion Designer Ma Ke

 Photographer Zhou Mi The Earth, Kangding, Sichuan, China, 2007

Ma Ke "Wuyong", Victoria&Albert Museum, Fashion in Motion, May 2008

Fashion designer Ma Ke is known in China for her silent, organic and reflexive clothing. Her  interest in the crossover between contemporary art and fashion led her to establish the artistic brand Wuyong, meaning  "useless"  in 2006.  Her collections reference China's rich history and highlight the role of time and natural processes, the qualities of organic materials and the value of handcraft. Recycling discarded items in her creations  such as  old painted fabrics, she questions the values propagated  through clothing in modern cultures across the world. Her work is an ode to local skills and cultural memories. 

Photographies of her home on the southern coast of China show her commitment to traditional arts, crafts heritage and innovation. She treasures what she calls " voluntary simplicity." Selvedge Magazine March/April 2011.